Rugby:Ireland flanker David Wallace believes South Africa will be inspired by the 'battle of the hemispheres' as they launch one final defence of their global supremacy. The injury-ravaged Springboks will limp to the end of a gruelling year when they face Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday in a contest that will see the Grand Slam and world champions collide.
So far this season Peter de Villiers' side have won their first Tri-Nations title since 2004 and conquered the Lions in an epic Test series.
But their tour of Europe has proved less productive with their solitary victory against Italy being overshadowed by defeats to France, Leicester and Saracens.
They arrived in Dublin battered and bruised, with an extensive injury list forcing them to delay their team announcement until lunchtime tomorrow.
Scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, lock Bakkies Botha, hooker Bismarck du Plessis, prop CJ van der Linde, Zane Kirchner, centre Adrian Jacobs and flank Schalk Burger all face fitness tests.
Despite their legions of walking wounded, Wallace is certain the Springboks will be galvanised by the prospect of adding Grand Slam winners to their list of victims.
"I don't believe for a second that South Africa won't be at their best because it's the end of a long season," said Wallace.
"They'll be very aware of what's at stake in the game and that it's being billed as the best of the northern hemisphere against the best of the southern hemisphere.
"They'll be turning up to win and because of what's at stake they'll give everything. They'll raise their game for this.
"South Africa are always very physical and have some quality players.
"They have world-class guys who can turn a game at any stage with moments of individual brilliance.
"They do the basics very well and punish mistakes ruthlessly."
The strong Irish presence on the Lions tour this summer - they supplied half the starting line-up for the second Test - has shrouded Saturday's showdown with a sense of unfinished business.
Springbok skipper John Smit has amplified the tension by claiming there was animosity during the series born out of a senior Irish player's refusal to allow the Lions to join their opponents in the dressing room for a drink after each match.
Such a suggested lack of sportsmanship paled into insignificance compared to the outrageous eye gouge by Burger on winger Luke Fitzgerald, whose knee injury has scuppered their reunion on Saturday.
Ireland have been careful to avoid fanning the flames but Wallace, who appeared in all three Lions Tests, hinted at the hurt caused by the agonising 2-1 series defeat.
"I never detected any animosity. I wasn't aware of the invitation to join the Springboks, so I'm not the senior Irish player he is talking about," Wallace said.
"It was great to be picked for the Lions but at the end of the day we lost the series and we want to step it up a gear.
"It's brilliant to be getting another chance to play them so soon."
Ireland will be attempting to upset the world champions without their Lions outhalf Ronan O'Gara, who has been dropped to the bench for the first time since November 2003 and replaced in the starting XV by Jonathan Sexton.
Sexton (24) has been given the chance to build on his stellar Test debut against Fiji last Saturday but Wallace expects his Munster colleague O'Gara to come again.
"Jonny (Sexton) is a fantastic player and it will be interesting to see how he goes," added Wallace.
"They're both good fly-halves. Ronan has been on top of his game for years and has always been the shoo-in.
"Now Jonny has stepped up to the mark. It's a tough period for Ronan but he's strong and will bounce back."
-PA
